The Christmas Chronicles by Nigel Slater: Read Along Thread 2

[Dillidilly]

Here's our new thread!

I'm having such problems with the site, please could someone post a link to the old thread for me?

I have not looked Nigel up on Wikipedia but I guessed he has no children from the recipes he wrote over the years. I had his real fast food and pudding books and they are from the 90s? He never talked about or cooked children food. Unlike how Nigella Lawson or Jamie Oliver do it. I think James is his partners name? He refered to someone called James in the Christmas Chronicles.

It’s very very cold today. We went to see the Lion the Witch and the Wardrobe and it’s a great adaptation and kind of Christmasy.

I also made the orange poppy seed cake from earlier in the month.

I assumed James was Nigel’s partner since Christmas Chronicles have been dedicated to James?

@Strawberryfield12 that must be where I got the idea that James is Nigel’s partner. I was replying to @Taytocrisps post on the previous page about if he lives with a partner.

29 NOVEMBER
Tinsel, cheesecake and a windy night

The cheesecake recipe sounds wonderful in today's chapter and I don't actually like cheesecake! It's the digestive base I mainly dislike though so Nigel's filo version may be one to try, DH will be happy as he loves cheesecake.

I opened the apricot brandy last night, curled under a blanket and sipped it. It's very nice but I may put slightly less star anise in if I make it again next year. It's nice and apricot-y though and I'm wondering if the soaked fruit may go nicely as an accompaniment on a cheeseboard.

Oh, and Nigel would hate my Christmas tree. It's covered in mismatched ornaments, all different colours, some tasteful but many tacky and wonky bits of salt dough covered in glitter that my DDs made at nursery. I love it!

I liked the sound of the cheesecake recipe, too. Am certainly considering giving it a go!

Ordered some over-priced, gold lametta, inspired by today's chapter.

Nearly December! Crimes!

A bit late catching up on thread, but thought I'd post after I found myself at a loose end on a dark, freezing afternoon in Paris on Friday and so decided to make my cake (Delia standard recipe - I'd already been soaking the fruit). I'd just downloaded the Classic FM App on my phone so was happily pottering - even enjoying the clearing up. Once the cake was in the oven and the delicious aromas started to waft through the apartment I thought I'd have a quick check to see when Nigel makes his cake and was delighted to find I was only a day later than his entry (November 25), but that he too isn't too fixed on particular date - just that you should pick a day when you don't have much else on and "listen to the gentle babble of the radio" while doing so. I had accidentally followed his recommendations! Really enjoying reading the thread and revisiting the book. We lived in Berlin for four years when my DCs were small and have so many fabulous memories of the Christmas markets there where many of our family Christmas decorations were purchased over the years. Germany really the quintessence of Christmas for me. A little light snowfall, twinkling lights, the scent of gluhwein on the breeze - Christmas felt truly magical (helped by the fact the kids still believed in Santa). Thanks for this thread - it's my new Christmas indulgence

@OnTheHillNotOverIt

I just watched Nigella’s Cook, Eat, Repeat Christmas special. She made gingerbread cake, cut it into squares, dusted with icing sugar, put some red candles in it and lit them with... a plastic lighter

I watched that the other day and wondered about her bloody obsession with dates and prunes. My biggest ever Christmas cake disaster was when I made hers (she puts cocoa, orange juice, prunes etc in it- I really should have known, it was like Christmas cake sludge. The family sat chewing politely but it was foul- Delia forever before and after that one foray. Likewise the gingerbread- Delia's Jamaica gingerbread is my recipe and I shan't consider putting prunes in it.

I'm also supposed to have been in Vienna and Copenhagen this year. Uff. DD and I were just contemplating Switzerland which is a) fairly near b) open to us coming from Italy for a few days.

@FireworkParrot
I had a spoonful of the brandy yesterday to recover from my 7.30 am booster! I might fish the star anise out and then leave it another couple of weeks.
@LillianGish, lovely post. I keep saying I'm going to do my cake tomorrow then true to form, tomorrow never comes. I was going to soak over the weekend but forgot a cheap bottle of brandy! Maybe I'll soak tomorrow. I don't need a cake, as I said, I've got a Harrod's one which was a present, and my cousin called to say he's despatched my annual Betty's hamper which has one but this year I have the urge to go the whole hog and make the almond paste and icing. I want pointy peaks like the icing I used to make with my mum.

I'm also getting the wee pork joint to play with and try and turn into a ham tomorrow. Day off school so to the kitchen I'll go. It will be my Spotify playlist and Nigel will shudder.

Yes @Geamhradh, I feel that we need two threads running: what would Nigel do and what would Nigel never do? Today's tinsel dissing was a Step Too Far

@LillianGish what you wrote about German Christmas markets and what Nigel wrote made me really want to visit Germany in December.

30 NOVEMBER
Christmas windows and a soft, sweet cake

[quote ChildrenGrowingUpTooFast]@LillianGish what you wrote about German Christmas markets and what Nigel wrote made me really want to visit Germany in December.[/quote]
Highly recommended for all lovers of a traditional Christmas (the sort depicted on Christmas cards), but do get there in the run up to Christmas rather than over the holiday. I remember our first year there planning a festive stroll on Christmas Eve only to find everything shut and the markets in the process of being dismantled! German festivities at home start on the 24th with many people waiting until that moment to put up their trees. December 6 on the other hand is huge over there - for St Nicholas. I remember waking on a frosty morning in our first year and seeing a mysterious large sack hanging on the door handle through the glass panels of the front door. When we opened it it was a bag of toys and sweets for my DCs (then 4 and 2) - we later found out it had been left by our lovely neighbours, but at the time it felt as if Santa Claus had really been. It still gives me goosebumps to remember that moment.

Yes, we normally go to Winchester Christmas market and that ends on about the 21st too.

Haven't read today's yet, but by coincidence I was in a garden centre with a friend yesterday and she found some old fashioned Nigel-style tinsel, lovely gentle silver instead of the bright modern, hologrammy type.

Hello everyone 🎄

I haven’t read back through the thread yet...am saving it for this evening...but I’ve just settled into my favourite spot for a little moment of relaxation/contemplation and thought I’d pop in for a quick hello.

You might spy in the background that the nisser (traditional Danish elves - although these are much more friendly than tradition holds) have arrived. A day early this year! I guess they wanted to add to the household hygge.😉

Grandfather nisse and little girl nisse have made themselves at home on their usual seat, but because they were early I’d not yet put out the cushion! It was quickly retrieved and now they are suitably comfortable.😊

@HollyandIvyandAllThingsYule I love the Nisser they look so cute. Are they like most real fairy stories and actually quite terrifying then? I'll have to look up their mythology. They certainly look festive in your house.

I've had a go at Nigel's aubergine with lentils and basil tonight. A really cosy herby dish. I eat a lot of lentils but have never thought to make a creamy dish like this, I'll definitely make it again. I'm not the best cook so I was pleased it sort of looked like the photo in his book too although I only realised at the end I should have chopped everything a lot more finely (sorry not so as pretty plated up I will have to practice).

I am another one who'd love a trip to Germany at Christmas. All these lovely descriptions have me daydreaming.

For anyone who has the book ‘Advent’, it’s December’s book on the Jamie Oliver Cookbook club on Facebook - you can post photos and ask questions of the author usually

Well I opened the apricot liqueur. DH doesn't like it - too sweet - so I'm now a bit nonplussed about what to do with half a litre of sweet booze. It is delicious, but you can't drink a lot of it. Maybe I just need to have a tiny drink every night in advent.

Seek out a tiny ,crystal glass for it. I have my dad’s Edinburgh crystal glasses and their is a teeny, liquor glass which would be perfect. I might go and get the apricot tomorrow. I have some cherry from last year. It goes in Delia’s Creole Cake. It is soaking now.

Tell me about the cherry @Redsquirrel5. I was just saying last night (there's apparently a shortage of wine predicted in some areas here) I'd like to make a cherry liqueur next.
I like the apricot, but have now fished the star anise out in the hope that the taste of Yankee Candle will diminish a bit.
Happy Advent everyone.

Nigel would be AGHAST at you referring to his brandy in that way! I fear he is not a Yankee Candle fan.

I'm all caught up

Does anyone know where to get Nigel's posh tinsel from

I'm going to try the ricotta cheesecake to use up the yolks I have spare after making a pavlova. Want to try the banana cake but after Christmas

1 DECEMBER
Mistletoe, maltloaf and a salad of cobnuts

December everyone!!
I don't work on a Wednesday, so after a study morning (boo), I'm decorating the house...I'm so excited 😊🤗